Bahruddin Talib

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a major global health burden, with high recurrence and therapeutic resistance. α-Tocopherol, the most active form of vitamin E and a potent antioxidant, occurs in Stichopus hermanii together with other bioactive compounds. These natural agents have been proposed as adjunctive strategies with dual antioxidant and anticancer potentials. Objective: To map evidence of the antioxidant and anticancer activities of α-tocopherol, either as an isolated compound or within S. hermanii extracts, against molecular targets in OSCC. Methods: A scoping review was conducted according to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Searches in PMC, PubMed, ScienceDirect, ResearchGate, and Google Scholar (until July 2025) identified English- or Indonesian-language Scopus-indexed full-text studies. Eligible reports included original in vitro, in vivo, and clinical investigations of α-tocopherol and S. hermanii in OSCC models. Data on the design, interventions, molecular targets, and outcomes were charted and narratively synthesized. Results: Five studies were included (three in vitro, one in vivo, and one clinical study). In vitro, α-tocopherol decreased OSCC cell viability and induced apoptosis via caspase activation, Bax upregulation, and Bcl-2 suppression, with synergistic effects observed with combination therapy. In vivo, α-tocopherol upregulated PPARγ and inhibited PI3K/Akt signalling, whereas S. hermanii extract reduced oxidative stress. Clinically, supplementation during radiotherapy improves the oxidative balance. Common molecular targets include apoptotic regulators and oxidative stress markers; however, OSCC-specific oncogenic pathways remain unexplored. Conclusion: α-Tocopherol exhibits antioxidant and pro-apoptotic effects in OSCC, indicating its potential as an adjunct therapy. However, the evidence is limited and heterogeneous, necessitating standardized interventions and clinical trials to confirm these findings.

Gingival wound healing involves tightly regulated inflammatory and regenerative re-sponses. Marine-derived (6Z)-Octadecenoic acid, isolated from Stichopus hermanii, is a promising candidate for topical wound therapy due to its dual anti-inflammatory and pro-regenerative properties. This study combined in silico molecular docking with in vivo evaluation to assess its therapeutic potential. Docking analysis revealed strong binding affinities between (6Z)-Octadecenoic acid and TNF-α, NF-κB, IL-1β, and JAK1. In vivo, gingival wounds were induced in male Wistar rats and treated topically. His-tological assessments on Days 3 and 7 showed significantly increased fibroblast density and collagen deposition in the treated group. ADME-Tox predictions indicated high absorption and no hepatotoxicity, supported by stable SGOT and SGPT levels. Statisti-cal analysis confirmed significant improvements in fibroblast proliferation and colla-genization (p < 0.05), with no hepatic enzyme elevation. These findings suggest that (6Z)-Octadecenoic acid enhances early wound healing by modulating inflammation and stimulating tissue remodeling, supporting its potential use in periodontal regener-ative applications.

This study aimed to investigate the potential use of brown algae Sargassum polycystum as irreversible hydrocolloid (alginate) impression material. Potassium alginate extracted from Sargassum polycystum was prepared in three different compositions (14%, 15%, and 16%) and mixed with other standard components to form an alginate impression material. Prior to that, the purity of potassium alginate was quantified with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. As a control material, the alginate impression material from a commercially available product was used. All alginate impression materials were then applied to a die stone model. Dimensional accuracy was measured by calculating the mesiodistal width of incisors in the generated dental cast using a digital caliper 0.01 accuracy (five replications). In addition, to evaluate the dimensional stability, the impression results were poured at four different periods (immediately, 5 min, 10 min, and 15 min). An independent t-test was performed to compare the measurement results with p < 0.05 considered significant. Analytical results confirm that the impression material containing 15% potassium alginate gives the best dimensional accuracy similar to control (p > 0.05). Meanwhile, the optimal dimensional stability was produced in the impression material containing 16% potassium alginate. Our study suggested that brown algae Sargassum polycystum has a promising potential to be used as an alginate impression material in clinical application.